Tsubasa Muromachi
| image = | race = Shinigami | birthday = | gender = Male | height = 176 cm (5'9") | weight = 60 kg (132 lbs.) | blood type = | affiliation = Inner Circle, Soul Society | occupation = Contract Blacksmith, Captain of the 7th Division | previous occupation = | team = Inner Circle | previous team = | partner = Tetsuyo Miyagi | previous partner = None | base of operations = Varying | relatives = | education = | shikai = Aijin (愛人, Mistress) | bankai = Aijin no Sakebi (愛人の叫び, Scream of the Mistress) }} Tsubasa Muromachi (室町翼, Muromachi Tsubasa), more commonly known as Qilin (麒麟, Qilin) is a Dog of the Inner Circle and serves as a blacksmith. He is considered a famous swordmaker, his blades a popular alternative to the Shinigami's Zanpakutō. He is nicknamed the Spiritsmith (精神スミス, Seishin Sumisu) due to his ability to re-forge the likes of Zanpakutō blades and enhance their form to the choice of its owner as well as the Zanpakutō itself. He serves as one of the supporting protagonists within Bleach: The War of Four and is revealed to be one of the driving forces behind the universal war waged by the Inner Circle. Personality Mannerisms & Habits Tsubasa can be described as a free-spirited anarchist. He is laid-back, easy-going, and care-free, border-lining on cockiness and recklessness. He behaves positively, maintaining a friendly attitude in the face of those he meets. His informal and positive attitude produces a bit of charisma from himself, earning positive attention from his colleagues. Rarely does he allow himself to get flustered, even in situations that are against his favor. Such is the extent of his confidence that he can converse casually in rather heated or tense situations. He has a minor knack for sarcasm and dry wit, which is more prominent within combat against his opponent than in the more social situation. Initially, he seems like the type of person to willingly avoid a fight if possible. However, whenever he does engage in combat, he holds a considerable enjoyment of it. Rarely does he allow hostility to show, always maintaining an almost amiable attitude even when faced against a particularly strong enemy. Despite his joy of fighting, he is willing to banter with a foe if he is spoken to. Additionally, he isn't above taunting or even belittling his adversaries in order to provoke them. This attitude, however, can change if he is agitated or provoked himself. He will become more sharp-tongued and vulgar, and his friendly attitude will be switched with a more hostile one. Flaws & Issues Although Tsubasa behaves in a mostly friendly manner, there are times where he can show a more sociopathic side. His idea of "chaotic revolution" is one he carries to the point of him willing to put his comrades' lives on the risk to achieve it. He is also less than forgiving towards his enemies, more than willing to dispatch them if they get in his way. It was this zealous embrace that had gotten him separated from his family due to conflict in ideology, though he and his wife never genuinely stopped their relationship. In addition, his composure can break in the knowledge that his family is being genuinely threatened, and he will become particularly blinded by his rage if he witnesses it. Beliefs & Philosophies One of Qilin's driving beliefs is chaotic change. He believes that the human response to any sort of change is stubbornness and defiance, even when that change is for the good of the affected. In order for change to be fully achieved, it must approach in a way that the targets are forced to accept it in order for progress to be made. He highly values independence and scorns those who give their being away for the sake of other people, regardless of the reason. He also despises arrogance and boastfulness, believing those who partake in such traits little more than children.The War of Four: Persona Non Grata Unlike a majority of the Captains of the Gotei 13 or his Inner Circle compatriots, his reasons for his actions aren't actively out of duty or compassion for his fellow man - at least not completely. During his fight with Yashin, Qilin states that he was standing in the other man's way because he wanted to - something he believes is universal for everyone's actions. Despite what other people would call poor reasoning, his protection of Meihaku Ayui against Yashin was also due to a desire to guard her individuality. In addition, he holds a high value of family and cares about both his wife and daughter very much, even when difference in beliefs had separated the family. History Tsubasa was born in Rukongai district 54, far from the protection of the law that the first fifty Rukon Districts had. He was born as a wandering orphan, having no parents to take care of him. He lived and learned off of the street, stealing and plundering from others when he could. It was here that he met Shikyo Ninaru, becoming childhood friends with her under the harsh conditions of the area they lived in. They would also grow to share a mutual desire to change the world from the dreary birthplace they lived within, continuously sticking together whenever possible. As they grew older, that friendship grew into attraction and shifted into a more intimate relationship, emotionally at first and then physically later on. Despite the situation, they had a relatively good life. Sometime prior to visiting Shikyo, Tsubasa had materialized his Zanpakutō and decided to show her as a "surprise". But when he arrived, he came across the dead bodies of Shikyo's parents and Shikyo herself threatened by plundering thugs. While their backs were turned, he slaughtered the group and rescued Shikyo, encouraging her to travel with him. In their nomadic travels together, Tsubasa began to show Shikyo how to commune with and awaken her own Zanpakutō, training her as well as himself. They would also bear a daughter. But as they grew up, they would find that their ideologies were staring to clash; Shikyo wanted to find peace through complete dominance and force, while Tsubasa preferred for societies to realize their mistakes through consequence of conflict and war. Fearing that their different theories would cause a rift within their relationship, Tsubasa opted to part ways with Shikyo so that they could pursue their goals. Although extremely unwilling at first, Shikyo was finally convinced to agree upon realization that their goals would make the importance of the world bigger than the importance of the two of them. Michiko would be left in Shikyo's care, while Tsubasa would go into isolation. He would take on the alias "Qilin", which would be recognized as his real name by many. During the days of his solitude, he came across the likes of an old blacksmith and became interested in the activity of smithing swords. Sensing his curiosity, the old smith took him in as a student. He spent several years under the teachings of the smith, and it was there that he learned his own blade-forging ways. The old man eventually passed away due to natural cause, but gave Qilin his title of "Spiritsmith" as a reward for his loyalty and progress under his wing. Qilin went on to become a wandering blacksmith, forging legendary blades at the request of beings with exceptional social and spiritual power. His craftsmanship made him a living legend, with some even declaring that the Spiritsmith was nothing more than a myth. It also brought the attention of fans, including one Tetsuyo Miyagi. The two met up during one of Qilin's treks back to the Rukongai, and it wasn't long before the two became good friends. Tetsuyo convinced Qilin to join the ranks of the Gotei 13 through the killing of the 7th Division Captain, which he successfully did so. Qilin then appointed Tetsuyo as his Lieutenant. Synopsis Bleach: The Rule of Two *The Rule of Two: Realization *The Rule of Two: Execution Pre-W.O.F. Stories *The Speed of Silence War of Four arc *The War of Four: Courts and Circles *The War of Four: The Eye of the Storm *The War of Four: Recollection *The War of Four: Persona Non Grata *The War of Four: Recovery *The War of Four: To the Victor *The War of Four: The Precipice of War **A Bomb-Bastic Collision! Volatile Combatants Engage! (non-canon) Powers & Abilities Master Swordsmanship Specialist: Tsubasa's preferred style of fighting is the art of swordsmanship. Despite his rebellious and sometimes childish attitude, he is a competent and masterful sword fighter. His fighting style is direct, relying mostly on quick footwork and concentration on defense and offense rather than acrobatic and energetic movement. He utilizes technical skill and sticks to swift, refined, and orthodox methods to fight opposing swordsman to great effect. He fights with one hand in order to favor speed and two hands in order to favor power. He constantly switches this style in order to keep his opponents from taking him off-guard and overwhelming him. Hakuda Master: Though his skills are adapted and self-taught, Tsubasa is a considerable fighter when it comes to hand-to-hand fighting. Although not relying on advanced forms of it, he is still capable of competing with other master users of the style. Unlike his method of fighting with his sword, he utilizes energetic and acrobatic movements in order to counter the ones of his enemy. Shunpo Master: Out of his adaptive and studious nature of Shunpo, Tsubasa has mimicked and enhanced the effectiveness of his use of it to the point where he could be considered a master. He is well-versed in the use of Shunpo as well as its techniques. His speed can take opponents off guard and surprise even other high-class opponents if they are even the slightest bit careless. Kidō Master: Having been taught by his master, Tsubasa possesses a considerable amount of knowledge in the art of Kidō. The highest spell he has used is a Hadō 39: Nenshō spell, done without an incantation or without speaking the name of the spell itself. He is capable of controlling the effects of his Kidō spells as well as the damage done by them. A perfect example is minimizing the fore-mentioned and massively destructive spell for the process of his blade-making. Immense Spiritual Energy: Tsubasa possesses a tremendous amount of spiritual energy. The pressure is so potent that he is capable of making even opponents with high levels of energy sweat out of fear. When released, it is capable of inflicting collateral damage to the environment within a considerable radius from his person. His Shikai alone can result in tremendous amounts of destruction when released at its full power. Genius Intellect: Tsubasa's most valued trait is his intelligence. He has a knack for noticing even the smallest details of things and decoding information using what little clues he has, courtesy of his sword-making. He is a strategic and tactical thinker, capable of planning things out ahead of time and executing them to good effect. Zanpakutō Aijin (愛人, Mistress): The name of Tsubasa's personal Zanpakutō. It is a standard katana with a red-ringed hilt with a square, golden guard. Small, black ropes with golden bells connected to the ends are attached to the hilt, and the blade has kanji running down the side of it. Because of these additions, opponents tend to believe that his Zanpakutō is a constant-release state.The War of Four: Persona Non Grata *'Shikai:' The release command to activate Aijin is "Climax" (いく, Iku). Upon the command, the strings immediately extend and wrap around the hilt, while the kanji spreads out and merges together around the blade. The result is a katana colored completely in black, with the hilt being circular instead of square. :Shikai Special Ability: Aijin's special ability is the ability to shift the chemical and physical properties of an object into an explosive. This can be performed by the blade either cutting its target or by simply touching it. Tsubasa can control the size and damage done by these explosions as well as the time they are set off, providing a good tool for ambushes and surprise attacks. The full extent of Aijin's power can be tremendous, consuming anything and everything within its path. Its power is often compared by most to be equal to that of a Captain's Bankai, though this has yet to be confirmed. :*'Sengetsu' (繊月, Crescent Moon): This ability is indicated when a yellow-orange flame-like energy envelops the blade of Aijin, its size comparable to the size of Tsubasa himself. A swing from Aijin will release the energy, launching it in the form of a boomerang projectile. The "boomerang" dwarfs the size of the average humanoid. Although seemingly looking like a glorified blast of reiatsu, the energy that makes it up is extremely destructive. Anything that touches it is disintegrated and wiped out of existence. Defensive measures are easily rendered useless by the technique. When it makes contact with something it cannot simply plow through, it explodes on contact. Anyone caught within these explosions will be treated to the same fate as if they were hit by the projectile itself. It is noticeably slower in speed in comparison to the Kagizaki technique. :*'Kagizaki' (鉤裂き, Rip): Tsubasa pulls his blade back in a lunging position before thrusting it at his target. A path of shock waves is released from the blade and towards the desired target. Although sizable, it is more focused than Sengetsu and relies more on focus and precision rather than power. Its speed exceeds the speed of the Sengetsu technique, comparable to the speed of a bullet. Even for accomplished masters of high-speed movement, Kagizaki can be extremely difficult if not impossible to avoid. In contrast to the disintegrating nature of Sengetsu, it relies on pressurized power and the ability to crush an opponent to death. :*'Ijikitanai Tareginu' (意地汚ない垂れ絹, Gluttonous Veil): This ability is initiated through an iaido swing. In the wake of the swing, a nigh-invisible curtain of spiritual energy will materialize. This curtain will act as a protective field for Tsubasa's frontward flank. If anything makes contact with this field, it will self-destruct and destabilize. Nonliving objects are broken apart, while the matter of living objects will rupture and explode. It is purely a close-quarters ability. :*'Shigai' (死骸, Corpse): This ability is one Tsubasa resorts to when he is fully committed into destroying his enemy. It puts his body in a state of "post-mortem", where the majority of his body functions will cease function and become frozen in a certain period of decomposition. It is made up of three stages, which are initiated in sequence. :In Progress... *'Bankai: Aijin No Sakebi' (愛人の叫び, Scream of the Mistress): To initiate this Bankai, Tsubasa impales his free arm with his sword through the palm. A pillar of what appears to be blood will erupt, sizable enough to envelop a considerable radius. Whether or not they're directly caught in the pillar or not, those caught within the vicinity of the Bankai's power will be subjected to the sensation of swimming in blood. Ecstasy-driven female moans will be heard in the background, starting off soft and becoming progressively louder with the seconds that pass. After a final scream, the sensual effect fades away to reveal another - the battlefield enveloped in blood. Tsubasa will be seen with his arm healed. Aijin no Sakebi takes the form of a a large rapier-like drill with mechanical gears making up the hilt. :Bankai Special Ability: Whereas Aijin revolves around the idea of physical explosions, Aijin no Sakebi is described by Tsubasa as an "explosion of passion". While active, its earlier sensual effect remains a constant view within the eyes of those within Tsubasa's proximity. In addition, they are subjected to an unusual euphoric feeling which can conflict with their mental states. Those who attempt to resist eventually succumb to madness, as their mind is unable to handle the stress of the two opposing feelings. In order to keep oneself from going mad, one has to "embrace the darkness within themselves" - that is, to embrace the excitement of the battle and relish all thoughts in favor for the desire to kill. The Bankai is potent enough to affect Tsubasa himself, with his demeanor becoming less subtle and more similar to the likes of a psychopath. Tsubasa prefers to set up his opponents so that they are able to engage him effectively when Aijin no Sakebi is active. Notably, the cutting power of Aijin no Sakebi drastically increases to the point of being able to cut through nearly any physical defense (apart from enemy melee weapons) and lesser spiritual defenses. However, this is only due to the psychological effect of the enemy subconsciously letting down their guard in favor of offense. :*'Terentekuda' (手練手管, Art of Coaxing): When Tsubasa's sword clashes against the weapon of his opponent, a brief surge of ecstasy will be experienced by the enemy. The more the weapons clash, the more the sensation lasts. This is meant to draw the opponent in deeper into melee combat. :*'Toppa' (突破, Penetration): Whenever the opponent is impaled by the drill, Tsubasa can will it to spin. While naturally this rends an opponent's flesh, it also rips through the very "soul" of the affected opponent, as well. It will make the target undergo a state of psychosis, where traumatic memories may be brought to life inside their mind and their greatest fears may manifest. The closer the opponent is brought to death, the heavier the effects will be. :*'Irokoi' (色恋, Sensual Love): Following a successful hit from Toppa, this ability can be initiated. Tsubasa can attack the mental constitution of the opponent through physical contact. With a simple touch, he can stimulate his target's senses with an abrupt and unwanted feeling of pleasure. This sensation is magnified when blows from Aijin no Sakebi connect, making pain and pleasure equal in amount. In addition, the body will respond by magnifying the wounds dealt by Tsubasa. The combination of sensations as well as the masochistic response of the body has the potential to break an enemy's psyche. :*'Hakunetsu' (白熱, White Heat): The "conclusion" of Aijin on Sakebi's sequential abilities. When an enemy is near their breaking point, Tsubasa approaches them, places a hand on their mouth and utters the command "Scream". The opponent's body will proceed to explode in a grotesque manner. The extent of mutilation will depend on how much power Tsubasa puts into the technique. Category:Male Category:Shinigami Category:Rogue Shinigami Category:Captain Category:Captains Category:7th Division (Mangetsu20) Category:Protagonists Category:Antagonists Category:Gotei 13 (Mangetsu20) Trivia Quotes References Category:Male Category:Shinigami Category:Rogue Shinigami Category:Captain Category:Captains Category:7th Division (Mangetsu20) Category:Protagonists Category:Antagonists Category:Gotei 13 (Mangetsu20)